*All meetings at Saint Leo University Gainesville Education Center unless otherwise noted. Located in Magnolia Park, directly behind Dominos. You can see Dominos from NW 39th Avenue, but you cannot see Saint Leo University. We meet on the second floor. Use the elevator (in the middle of the building) or the stairs at the end of the building.

February 23, 2019

1-3 PM

Finding Your Place in the Nonfiction Market

with Rob Sanders

Kids of all ages (and those who produce books for them) are interested and intrigued by nonfiction. From biographies to anthologies and concept books, from slices of history to informational texts—nonfiction is hot! The popularity of nonfiction texts took off with the introduction of Common Core, and the surge has not subsided. In this session you’ll explore the many forms that nonfiction can take, discover how you can find your place in the world of nonfiction, and explore how you can find success in the nonfiction world. This workshop is for writers of all experience levels and genres and will focus on the most popular form of nonfiction—picture books. Bring your laptop (or other note-taking supplies) and come prepared to learn, discuss, and write. If you’ve written a nonfiction piece, bring it along for a possible anonymous first-page critique.

Rob Sanders is a writer who teaches and a teacher who writes. He began his picture book writing journey ten years ago and sold his first book in 2012. He has now sold twelve titles—both fiction and nonfiction—to major publishing houses. And all the while he’s been keeping up a full-time job as a fourth-grade language arts teacher. Rob’s first nonfiction picture book—Pride: The Story of Harvey Milk and the Rainbow Flag —released in April 2018 and was followed by Peaceful Fights for Equal Rights, which released September 2018. His next nonfiction title is Stonewall: A Building. An Uprising. A Revolution., which which will release in April 2019. Rob has worked as a trainer, editor, product designer, and writing coach. He coordinates SCBWI Florida meetings for Tampa Bay area members, critiques hundreds of manuscripts a year, and mentors and coaches other writers. Visit Rob’s website at www.robsanderswrites.com.

March 9, 2019

10-noon

The Web of Worldbuilding

with Erica Cameron

There are rules to every world, and they interconnect as intricately as a web. An author has to know how these threads knot together in order to help a reader build a bridge from their reality to the book’s. In Erica Cameron’s presentation, we will discuss what worldbuilding is and how to form a world around one key point–concept, setting, character, or other element. In addition to the deep worldbuilding of speculative fiction, we will also discuss the ways in which the rules of worldbuilding apply to realistic fiction of all subgenres. Additionally, we will touch on how maps can be used in the development of a fantasy world.

March 9, 2019

1-3 pm

Running the Publishing Gauntlet

Erica Cameron

From finishing your first draft to finding your first agent and everything that comes after, publishing is often a tricky journey to navigate. Erica will talk about the traditional, the unexpected, and the modern paths to publishing. She will also discuss the basics of subrights (what are they?), agents (why have one?), movies (how does that work?), and more (what exactly is a mid-size house?). Get answers to your burning questions about editorial relationships, deadlines, twitter pitching, and everything else in this informational session.

Erica Cameron is the author of several series for young adults including The Ryogan Chronicles (a Kirkus-starred and JLG-selection series), the Assassins duology (winner of the Bi Book Award), and the upcoming Pax Novis trilogy. Additionally, Erica works for Barnes & Noble and is an advocate for asexuality and emotional abuse awareness. She currently lives in South Florida.

NOTE: We have TWO workshops on March 9. Erica offered to do two workshops in one day since she is not local. Feel free to come to one or both of these fabulous offerings. Bring your lunch so we can eat together between sessions!